Amazon and Lennar partner to create Alexa-controlled smart homes

byRincey AbrahamMay 11, 2018

Amazon and Lennar announced its new partnership to provide Alexa-enabled smart homes in certain markets across the country.

Homebuyers can get homes that come with features that can be controlled with Alexa including Wi-Fi, smart locks, doorbells, thermostats and lights. The homes will come with two Alexa-enabled smart speakers, an Echo Show and an Echo Dot. Buyers will also get a visit from an Amazon technician to help set up the home and show how the features work.

“We wanted customers to experience a real home environment that showcases the convenience of the Alexa smart home experience, great entertainment available with Prime, and Home Services,” said Nish Lathia, general manager, Amazon Services.

Many of the features included in the home are products that have been available through Amazon, such as reordering products with the Amazon Dash. But they are now all integrated into the newly built homes when moving in.

Other features available include:

Using commands such as “Alexa, good morning” to have Alexa turn on lights, read the weather and provide an update on commute times based on traffic

Schedule auto-deliveries of household items and create recurring or on-demand home services.

Receive notifications when people come to your home

A smart sprinkler system and a smart Roomba vacuuming robot

Access Amazon Prime features such as Prime Music, movies and TV shows

Amazon Experience Centers — the name for the interactive model homes customers can test out — are currently available in Lennar model homes in a number of cities around the country including Atlanta, Dallas, Los Angeles, Miami, Orlando, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington D.C.

According to USA Today, Lennar began rolling out the capabilities last summer and is now ready to roll out its new Alexa-enabled homes. However, Lennar currently has an everything-included pricing policy, customers will only have the choice of turning the system on but cannot buy a home that does not include it.

So Lennar will be making all of its nearly 35,000 homes in 23 states a smart home. All the new homeowner will need to do is choose an Internet service provider and turn on the account, Kaiserman said.

“Amazon’s ability to bring a home to life with Alexa smart home experiences, entertainment and services – coupled with their obsession with customer experience – is a natural extension of our Everything’s Included approach to home building,” said David Kaiserman, president of Lennar Ventures. “We picked Amazon because of our shared commitment to customers, their Amazon experts across the country, and their ability to connect customers with thousands of service providers through Amazon Home Services.”